Rockford Clinches Playoff Berth With Win over Hudsonville

Entering week nine, Rockford sat at 5-3, one win shy of automatic playoff qualification. Though it appeared that they would reach the playoffs with five wins, there is no doubt that Ralph Munger and his team wanted to earn the sixth win to qualify automatically. In another strong defensive effort, the Rams held an opponent to fourteen or fewer points for the seventh time this year in a 37-14 win over Hudsonville to clinch a spot in next week’s playoffs.

Just fifty-seven seconds into the game, Jason Whittaker found Jake McClean for a 49-yard touchdown pass to give Rockford a 7-0 edge. They would expand to fourteen points as Marcus Remtema scored from 37 yards out halfway through the first quarter. The Eagles broke their scoring drought just before the first half as Sam Baine ran it in from two yards out to cut the lead to 14-7 heading into the locker room.

To open the second half, Rockford scored twenty-three unanswered points to blow this game wide open. Jason Whittaker started the scoring with a fifteen yard pass to Logan Lee, and Erick Zeboer chipped in a 38-yard field goal to give Rockford a 10-0 third quarter advantage. In the fourth quarter, Whittaker used his legs for a one yard keeper, and the final touchdown came on a 55-yard pass to Jake McClean.

With the win, Rockford improves to 6-3 which qualifies them for the playoffs. Their destination and opponent will be determined on Sunday night during the selection show.